An article in the local paper about Seniors Helping Seniors. There are over 135 Seniors Helping Seniors Franchises across 36 states. Seniors Helping Seniors is one of the fastest growing non-medical in home care for seniors companies in the US.

The “Golden” Years – by: J Daniel Lewis DDS
The following article was written by Dr. J Daniel Lewis DDS of Grand Rapids, MI who has been taking care of our family for nearly 30 years….thanks Dr. Lewis. Remember, for any senior related issues or concerns call Seniors Helping Seniors…if we cannot help you, we will let you know who you can trust in our community.
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When I was first practicing dentistry I had the pleasure of treating a sweet 80 something “young” lady with a very sharp wit. One day as I came in to check on her after a cleaning, I asked her how she was enjoying her “golden years”. She didn’t bat an eye and replied, “Sonny, they may look golden but it’s actually rust”. Twenty five years later I find her response more and more accurate. I see this on a personal level but also witness patients struggle every day with the challenges to maintain a healthy mouth as the body changes.

One of the biggest issues as we get older is decay (cavities).Today we see more decay in older adults than we do in kids. Some causes for this are changes in our bodies and also in the environment of our mouth. Decay starts with acid. Acids are graded on the pH scale. The lower the pH number the stronger the acid. Water is neutral and has a pH of 7.0. Battery acid has a pH of 1.0. Any acid that has a pH of 5.4 or lower will start leaching minerals from teeth (starts decay or “cavities”). This loss of minerals leads to softening of the enamel so that it wears faster, and decay in the enamel and dentin (the root surfaces, which is softer than enamel). Just for conversation sake, a regular Pepsi has a pH of 2.49 as well as having a lot of sugar which will also be turned into acid by bacteria (bugs) in the mouth. Juices have the same problem with a low pH and a lot of sugar. Bottom line, foods that are acidic and/or have sugar lead to decay.

As we get older there are many changes in the body and the mouth in particular. Here are a few.

Decrease in saliva flow due to general aging as well as an increase in medications, the majority of which have the side effect of decreasing saliva. It is important to know that the saliva is critical in protecting the teeth. Saliva keeps the teeth slippery to prevent food from sticking. Saliva neutralizes (pH of saliva is 7.4) the acids that cause decay (cavities). Saliva actually repairs the teeth by providing minerals that can go back into the enamel (the outside shell of the tooth) and provides antibodies to decrease bacteria that produce acids.

Recession of the gums leading to exposed root surfaces. This not only exposes more of the softer tooth surface (dentin) to decay but also allows more nooks and crannies for food to collect. This food is then broken down by bacteria (bugs) in the mouth to produce acid. As long as the food is present the acid is being produced, plus, for twenty minutes after it is gone.

Decrease in dexterity to be able to keep teeth clean. Whether it is rheumatoid arthritis or just stiffness in the fingers, hands and wrists, it all makes it more difficult to clean the mouth.

Older restorations start breaking down through wear and tear. The longer we are around the more likely we are to have larger restorations which are also more difficult to maintain and are more likely to break down.

Decrease in taste sensation. For most individuals, the last taste buds working are the sweet ones. This many times leads to the proverbial “sweet tooth”. We eat more sweets because we can taste it. Every time we take a nibble of something sweet, the bacteria in our mouth continues to produce acids for twenty minutes after the sweetness is gone. So the frequency of the sweets has a greater influence on the amount of acid produced (leads to cavities) than the amount of sugar eaten.

Even though the cards are stacked against us as we get older, we can still fight back. Here are some suggestions that can help decrease decay.

Sip water. This will help clean the debris from around your teeth, dilute the acid (water has a pH of 7.0) in the mouth and increase the saliva flow and production.

Decrease snacking frequency. If you are going to snack, make the most of it and get it done.

Clean your mouth at least twice a day. This includes brushing, flossing and any special tools that help clean out those nooks and crannies (proxibrushes, sulca brushes, tooth picks or electric tooth brushes).

Use high concentration fluoride toothpastes (prescription strength from your dentist). If you use this right before bed without rinsing afterward, the fluoride sits around the teeth longer and is more effective at reducing decay.

Recent studies also now suggest the use of custom fit trays with bleaching gel (carbamide peroxide) in them for five minutes a day. These studies indicate an overall decrease of bacteria in the mouth as well as an increase in pH (neutralizing the acid).

Bottom line is that you can do a lot to help yourself. “Don’t wait till it hurts” because as we get older it usually won’t hurt until it is a major problem. Get into your dentist at least a couple of times a year and let them find any issue when it is still small. The best course is to prevent the “rust” but if that doesn’t work just get it taken care of early. Like every thing else as we age we need more maintenance. Welcome to the “Golden Years”!

We would like to thank Dr. PJ Holser of Advanced Eyecare of Grand Rapids for providing us with some useful information about Glaucoma.Did you know January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month? Neither did we, but now we all do!

Please read the following article from Dr. Holser and get his contact information from the resources page of our website if you have any questions for Grand Rapids’ leading eye care specialist.

Are You At Risk for

The Silent Thief of Sight?It can come with no warning and no noticeable symptoms. It is the second most common cause of blindness in the United States. “IT” is Glaucoma, the Silent Thief of Sight, according to Dr. Patrick Holser, Therapeutic Optometrist
“January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month and we encourage all people, especially those at higher risk for this disease, to familiarize themselves with the potential symptoms and need for regular eye examinations” Dr. Holser said. “A regular eye examination is especially critical since a person with early-stage Glaucoma may not notice any symptoms at all.”
Dr. Holser added that while the early stage symptoms may not be noticeable, persons with more advanced Glaucoma -may notice blurred vision, the presence of halos around lights, loss of peripheral vision and difficulty focusing on objects.
“Glaucoma affects an estimated 4 million Americans,” Dr. Holser said. Some people are more at risk than others. Those at higher risk include:•People over the age of 60•African-Americans over age 40•People with diabetes •Individuals that have experienced a serious eye injury •Anyone with a family history of glaucoma
“While there is no cure for Glaucoma, early detection and treatment can slow or prevent further vision loss,” Dr. Holser said. “First and foremost in the process is a comprehensive eye health exam by your family eye doctor.”
Dr. Holser owns and practices at Advanced Eye Care of Grand Rapids located at 5258 Plainfield Ave NE in Grand Rapids and is a member of Vision Source, the nation’s number one network of private practice optometrists. Founded in 1991, The Vision Source network includes more than 2,100 offices in all 50 states and in Canada. Find out more at www.advancedeyecaregr.com

The “Graying of America” is something we have all heard about now for years. News stories tell us daily about boomers, our elderly and upcoming changes in health care and so forth. And, it’s true. Our population is aging and our resources are being more and more stretched as we try to care for our elderly in the manner that they want to be cared for.

Why Is the Need for Homecare Greater than Before?

Did anyone ever want to go into a nursing home?

Not in most cases. But historically many families were able to provide care for their elderly relatives so that they did not need to go into a nursing home or assisted living facility. And families still do provide care – 65 million Americans are already serving as caregivers.

Who Are Caregivers
Many caregivers are baby boomers themselves. Older baby boomers are starting to turn 65 now and they are becoming more aware of the need to plan for their own needs. We are seeing our government start to talk about how to deal with our aging population in the best and most cost effective manner. Caregivers themselves in many cases are trying to juggle family, work and care giving.

What Happened?
What changes have happened in our society to make this issue bigger today than it ever was in the past?
1) Adult Children are more likely to live further away (do you know anyone who has left Michigan?)
2) Higher divorce rates mean more seniors are living alone and families caring for 2 elderly parents are stretched even more
3) Lower birthrates mean fewer potential caregivers
4) Nearly 40% of chronically ill adults live alone (according to a U of M study) and many of them are married to a spouse with health issues of their own

Seniors Helping Seniors has a well defined process to help potential franchise partners get all the information they need to make an informed and prudent business decision. At the same time we are sharing information about us with you, we also want to learn more about why you think in-home care may be a good fit for you.
Throughout our process you will have the opportunity to meet our founders as well as our entire corporate team, speak with and ask questions of existing franchise partners, go through a detailed demographic analysis to define a territory that sets you up for success and review our franchise agreement. Email today to take the first step in learning more about the franchise opportunities available with Seniors Helping Seniors In-home Services.